Reasner shining on stage

Saturday will tell if the next Miss America will be from Sterling, Alaska.

A new Miss America will be crowned Saturday night. Miss Alaska, Sterling resident Christina Reasner, is one of 52 contestants competing this week for the title.

Reasner's parents, Bob and Pollyanne, accompanied her to the competition in Atlantic City, N.J., which began Monday. Due to strict security and a tight schedule, the Reasners have gotten to talk to their daughter for only about 20 minutes a night, but the competition has gone well so far and their daughter still is in the running, according Bob Reasner.

A particularly bright spot came during the first day of competition Monday. Some of the press covering the competition singled Miss Alaska out as impressive in her casual wear.

"They commented on her in the local press for looking great ... one of the articles said only two girls were dynamic in their casual wear and Tina was one of them," said Bob Reasner.

Also Monday, Reasner modeled evening wear and answered a question during her on-stage interview about preventing child abuse.

Tuesday, the competition heated up with the swimsuit contest. According to her father, Reasner and some of the other contestants were a bit uncomfortable with the swimsuit portion of the competition. Wearing a bikini at the beach is one thing, but having to parade around on stage in one and be judged is another.

"Most of the girls aren't thrilled with the swimsuit part of it ... the two-piece is pretty skimpy, and there's an element of nervousness about that," he said.

On Wednesday, Reasner performed the song "This is the Moment," from the Broadway musical "Jeckle and Hyde," for her talent.

Bob Reasner said he has been impressed with all the contestants' talents and that the Miss America competition is more than a beauty pageant; it's a showcase of future leaders.

"It's an intense competition. It's as much about their mind as it is about their figure," he said. "These are amazing, amazing young ladies ... future legislators and CEOs. There's not a girl among them that's not going to be successful in some way."

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first telecast of the Miss America pageant. For the second year in a row, Clay Aiken of "American Idol" fame will serenade whoever succeeds in being crowned Miss America with the traditional anthem "There She Is."